Removable lamp assembly for printing and developing apparatus



July 3, 1951 J. HRUBY 2,559,159

REMOVABLE LAMP ASSEMBLY FOR PRINTING AND DEVELOPING APPARATUS Filed June22,1948 4 Sheets$heet 1 IN VEN TOR.

JOSEPH HRUBY HIS ATTORNEYS July 3, 1951 J. HRUBY 2,559,159

' REMOVABLE LAMP ASSEMBLY FOR PRINTING AND DEVELOPING APPARATUS FiledJune 22, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 i ZIFIG. 2. 4 11 INVENTOR.

JOSEPH HRUBY HIS ATTORNEYS July 3, 1951 J HRUBY 2,559,159

REMOVABLE LAMP ASSEMBLY FOR PRINTING AND DEVELOPING APPARATUS Filed June22, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG.3.

IN V EN TOR.

JOSEPH HRUBY WWflzeP- M HIS ATTORNEYS July 3, 1951 HRUBY 2,559,159

REMOVABLE LAMP ASSEMBLY FOR PRINTING AND DEVELOPING APPARATUS Filed June22, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 4.

H INVENTOR. 1.???"- m BY JOSEPH HRUBY 55555;?55553 5 HIS ATTORNEYSPatented July 3, 1951 UNITED REMOVABLE LAMP ASSEMBLY FOR PRINT- ING ANDDEVELOPING APPARATUS Joseph Hruby, Chicago, Ill., assignor to CharlesBruning Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New YorkApplication June 22, 1948, Serial No. 34,526

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to improvements in printing and developingdevices for the reproduction of transparencies and more particularly toa novel lamp supporting structure and a novel socket assembly in theprinting portion of such devices.

One object of the invention is to provide a device for reproducingtransparencies at high speed that is extremely rugged and compact andtherefore portable and suitable for use in the field.

Another object of the invention is to provide a structure that iscapable of supporting a cluster or plurality of lamps in a manner thatpermits collective or individual removal or replacement of the lamps.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a socket assemblyhaving, among many other advantageous features, an extremely smalldiameter that is capable of engaging, in an electrically conductivemanner, an electrical terminal of a lamp without requiring a twisting orturning of the lamp to lock it in place.

One of the improvements in printing and developing machines forming apart of this invention is an arrangement for supporting a cylinder oflight transmitting material for rotation in the printing portion of themachine. At least three retaining rollers having resilient surfaces arespaced around and disposed parallel and adjacent to the periphery of thecylinder to prevent lateral or vertical displacement thereof. At leastone side roller, with its axis of rotation substantially perpendicularto the axis of rotation of the cylinder, is provided for rollingengagement with each end of the cylinder to prevent axial displacementthereof.

Among the advantages of this improvement are the non-necessity for acentral axle or spindle to support the cylinder for rotation and thepre-- vention of injury to the cylinder due to the sudden shocks towhich a portable machine is inevitably subjected during transport andwhile in use in the field.

Another of the improvements forming a part of this invention is inmaking adjustable the pressure of contact between the rolls conveyingthe developing liquid to an exposed print. This embodiment of theinvention includes a pair of adjusting screws or the like suitablymounted upon supports for the developer conveying rolls which, whenturned, increase or decrease the pressure between the rolls or separatethe peripheral surfaces thereof.

This improvement has the advantages, among others, or providing meansfor regulating the thickness of the film of developing agent applied toexposed prints and for avoiding the formation of flats on theperipheries of the rolls due to pressure between them when they are notin use for any considerable period of time.

The novel lamp supporting structure of this invention includes a pair ofspaced disk-like members having perforations suitable for the receptionof the ends or bases of elongated lamps. In the preferred form, thedisk-like members are mounted at opposite ends of a tubular member thatis slidable over a fixed supporting shaft.

This structure has a number of advantages in that it provides anassembly capable of securely supporting a plurality or cluster ofelongated lamps, it is adapted to be securely supported within acylinder Without touching it, permits the removal or replacement of thelamps individually or collectively and, when used in a printing machine,afiords easy access to the interior of the light transmitting cylinderthereof.

The novel socket assembly of this invention includes a tubular elementof small diameter adapted to be supported in any suitable supportingstructure and having slideable within it a spring-biased conductormember, one end of which is formed to engage resiliently the prong orbase pin of a lamp and the other end of which is adapted to be connectedto a source of electrical energy.

The advantages of this socket assembly are numerous. The small diameterof the assembly makes it possible to crowd elongated lamps together tosuch an extent that they may actually touch, to provide an individualsocket assembly for each prong of an elongated lamphaving as many asfour prongs, two on each end, and to simplify individual removal orreplacement of a socket assembly or lamp. The resilient engagementfeature of the socket assembly obviates the necessity for holding ortwisting the lamp to lock it into operating position and automaticallyallows for variations in the lengths of the lamps. Furthermore, when aplurality of socket assemblies are utilized to transmit electricalenergy to a cluster of lamps, it is feasible to connect one terminal ofeach lamp to a common lead by means of a bus bar or the like that may,for example, be in the form of a ring stamped from thin and flexiblemetal.

As a result of the combination of the various aspects of this invention,the machine as a Whole has a number of remarkable advantages. The

constructions of the socket assemblies and of lamp supporting assemblycombine to make possible the shock resistant support within the printingcylinder of a cluster of closely spaced lamps, all of which combine togenerate a source of light that is of sufficiently high intensity topermit printing at high speeds and the failure of one or several ofwhich will not necessitate an immediate interruption of printingoperations.

These and other advantages, as well as the utility of the invention,will become more apparent from the following description with referenceto the accompanying drawing illustrating one specific embodimentexemplary of the invention.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is a sectional view in elevation taken alongsection line l-l of Figure 2, the lamps General arrangement of theapparatus As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the apparatus of this invention ishoused in a casing having a base It], a front wall I I, a rear wall l2,two inner side walls I4 and i6 and outer side walls ll. A partition l9separates a printing chamber A and a developing chamber B. The frontwall I l is provided with a hinged door 263, the front and top of thedeveloping chamber B is provided with a hinged cover 2| and the twoouter side walls I! and the rear wall I 2 are provided with removablecover plates to permit access to the interior of the machine.

The printing section Referring now particularly to the printing sectionA illustrated in Figures 1-4, a cylinder 22 of light transmittingmaterial, such as glass, is supported for rotation in a fixed axialposition on a drive roll 2G and a retaining or supporting roll 26. It ismaintained against displacement from its axial position by means ofresilient and peripheral protuberances 27 on shock or retaining rolls 29and 30 as described hereinafter. Inside the cylinder 22 there is mounteda cluster of ten elongated lamps Ell surrounding a reflector 32 which inturn surrounds a tubular member in the form of a collar shaft 34%concentrio with and slidable upon a fixed center support shaft 36. Ashield 37 is secured to two disk-like lam'p brackets 39 andllil by meansof retaining pins ll as shown.

A plurality of bands 42 are trained around the greater portion of theglass cylinder 22 by means of a lower band roll 44, a take-up roll Alt,a spacer roll 47, a front band roll 49 and drive roll 24. The spacerroll 'll is provided with a number of upstanding flanges 59 to maintainthe proper distance between adjacent belts l2 and to prevent creepthereof to one side or the other.

The ends of the shaft 59 of the take-up roll 46 are mounted in verticalslots 52 in each of the inner end walls I l and it to take up any slackthat might develop in the bands &2.

T e en of the shaft 54 of the front shock roll 29 are likewise mountedin slots 56 in the inner side walls It and [6. During normal operationthe roll it is retained out of contact with the glass cyl inder 22 andthe bands d2 by means of a hook 5 1 pivotally secured to the inner sidewalls with a shoulder screw 58 or the like. The rounded lower end 60 ofthe hook 57 and the lower eX- tremities of the slots 55 are so shapedthat when the shaft 54 of the front shock roll 29 is released from thehooks, the lower rounded ends 613 of the hooks will force the ends ofthe shaft 54 against the lower extremities of the slots 55 to bring theprotuberances 27 on the roll 29 into pressing contact with the belts 32and thereby prevent the glass cylinder 22 from being displaced upwardlyfrom its normal position when the machine is subjected to the shocksinevitably encountered during transport.

Toward the bottom of the front of the machine there is disposed a feedand return tray comprising feed guide plates 6i and 62, a scraper E iand a return tray 56.

At the rear of the machine there are a plurality of ballasts 67, one foreach lamp 3% within the glass cylinder 22.

The inner side wall M at the left side of the machine, as shown inFigure l, is provided with a plurality of starter sockets 68 upon whichstarters it for the lamps 3! are mounted, the starters being wired inthe conventional manner to the ballasts 6?. Two apertures ll, surroundedby insulating grommets i2 are provided at any suitable location, such asthat shown in Figure 4 for the passage of electrical wiring.

Lamp bracket 39 is mounted upon or, if desired, integral with shaft 3%.It is provided with recessed shoulders M for abutting engagement withthe rim of a substantially circular opening it in the inner side wallIt. The bracket 39 has ten openings or recesses Ti each provided with aninsulating grommet l9 having an internal diameter just sufiicient toaccommodate the base of a lamp 3!, and a protruding locating pin 86.

Adjacent the lamp bracket 39, there is a lamp socket holder 3! of anystiif insulating material such as fiber board that is provided with tenpairs of perforations to accommodate twenty socket assemblies 82 and anadditional perforation to accommodate the locating pin 85B protrudingfrom the lamp bracket 3a. This socket holder 8! has a central apertureenabling it to clear the periphery of a lock nut 8d and is held againstthe lamp bracket 39 by means of an outer lock nut 86 that screws ontothe threaded end portion of the central supporting shaft 36 and iseasily manipulated by grasping two projecting stud members 8?.

The various rollers within the printing section A are rotatably securedat the left end to the inner side wall is by any suitable means such ascotter pins 89 and washers 90. A rectangular opening 9! in the innerside wall M is provided to accommodate a portion of the periphery of aside roller 92 mounted for rotation on an angle iron 94 secured to theinner side wall it by any suitable means such as bolts at. The peripheryof the side roller 92 engages the left end of the glass cylinder 22.

Referring now to Figure 3, which illustrates the right side of themachine, the inner side wall it has rigidly affixed thereto a collar 9'5which in turn supports the central supporting shaft 36. A second socketholder M i secured to the inner assarnc side wall I6 by any suitablemeans such as nuts and bolts 99.

Rollers 25, 3t, 44, 41 and 59 are secured to the inner side wall it onthe right side of the machine in the same fashion as they are on theleft side and a second side roller 6'2 projecting through a rectangularopening 9! in the inner side wall It is likewise mounted for rotation onan angle iron as secured to the inner side wall by any suitable meanssuch as bolts 95. A slot 52 is provided to accommodate one end of theshaft 5! of the take-up roll 46 and a second slot 56 is provided toaccommodate one end of the shaft 54 of the front shock roll 28.

An insulating bushing me is provided to surround an opening 2i and forthe passage of electrical wiring from the rear of the machine to thesocket assemblies 82.

The belts 42 are driven by means of drive roller 24 having a sprocketI82 at the right end thereof. The; glass cylinder 2-2 is rotated byfriction with the belts 42. Power from an electric motor IE6 actuated bya starter switch I ill is transmitted to roller 2 by way of' a variablespeed transmission I09 controllable by means of a control knob. us,

and having an output sprocket H I, a sprocket chain H2, an idler gearlIA- having sprockets H5 and ill, and a sprocket chain H9 which passesunder and over two idler sprockets I26 and IE4, respectively, as well asunder the sprocket Hi2 and over a sprocket I 2 I.

The socket assembly Referring now to Figure 5, each of the forty socketassemblies 82 in the socket holders 8| include a tubular element I22having an open end that is threaded at I24, a shoulder portion I26. and,at the other end, an inwardly turned flange I21. A threaded, conductoror stud member I29 of electrically conductive material is slidablewithin the tubular element 122 and is springbiased by coil spring I39 tomove toward the open or threaded end I24. The spring I38 abuts at oneend against a conical prong or base pin engaging element I3 I and at theother end against the inwardly turned flange I21. The threaded end l32of the conductor member I29 is provided with a pair of hexagonal nuts H4and a lock washer I36.

The lamp socket assemblies 32 are fixed to the socket holders 8 I, shownin phantom, by screwing the threaded ends 52%. into the holders untilthe shoulder portions I26 engage the surface of the socket holder. Theterminal or threaded ends I32 of the stud members I29 may convenientlybe connected in series or parallel by means of a bus bar or wires andthe conical prong engaging element ISI resiliently engages one of theprongs of a lamp 3 I. The position of the nut I34 limits the extent towhich. the prong engaging element I3! can move toward the open end ofthe tubular member I22.

The developing section The developing section B of the apparatus ismounted over the printing section A and includes a driving roll I 4! anda driven. roll MI, both of said rolls suitably being of a resilientmaterial, such as rubber, that is receptive to a liquid developer in atray I 52 provided with a flexible feed funnel M4 for keeping it filledto the proper level. A pressure roll. I45 is mounted in a slot I4! andis provided with any suitable locking mechanism shown schematically atM9 to prevent dislocation thereof when the machine is subjected toshock.

The ends of the shaft I50 of the driving roll I40 are mounted forrotation only and the ends of the shaft E5! of the driven roll NH aremounted in frames I52 movable vertically by means of threaded adjustingscrews I52 provided with a knurled knob 55 or the like for the purposeof adjusting the pressure or distance between the driving and drivenrolls Hi8 and MI.

A feed tray 155 isprovided immediately underneath the tray M2 for thedeveloping agent.

Operation In operation, a transparency and a sheet of sensitizedmaterial are fed into the machine by way of the feed tray SI. Theyadvance around the glass cylinder 22 due to the motion of the belts 42and the cylinder and are picked off the surface of the glass cylinder bymeans of the scraper M which deposits mom in the return tray 66. fedinto the feed tray The exposed sensitized material is then of thedeveloping section B and passes be n the driven roll Ml and the pressureroll Hit. The driving roll I48; picks up developer from the tray M2 anddeposits an even filmthereof upon the surface of the: driven roll MI,which in turn, de osits it. upon the exposed surface or the sensitizedmaterial. The developer used in apparatus of this type is preferably ofthe quick acting and quick drying. type so that the printed sheet isavailable for use almost immediately after it is released from drivenroll i l! and pressure roll [65.

In order to obtain access to the lamps 31, the cover plate is removedfrom the left side of the machine, the outer lock nut 85 is unscrewed,and the socket holder SI is slid off the inner lock nut 84 and thethreaded end of the center support shaft 35 without the necessity ofdisconnecting any of the electrical leads to the socket assemblies 82.

If one of the lamps should fail for any reason, it can quickly bereplaced individually simply by removing the grommet '59 around theinoperative lamp, withdrawing the lamp, inserting a new lamp, andreplacing the grommet.

If, on the other hand, it is desired to clean the interior of the glasscylinder 22 or the reflector 32, or for some other reason to remove thelamps 3| collectively, the entire lamp assembly, including the lamps 3I,the reflector 32, the collar shaft 34, the lamp brackets 39 and ii], andthe shield 31 is withdrawn from the left side of the machine. When theassembly is replaced, the locating pin so on the right lamp socketbracket Ml fits into the proper perforation in the right socket holder8i to assure a proper positioning of the assembly. The machine is placedinto operating condition again simply by putting the left socket holder85 into the position over the inner lock nut 34, as determined by thelocating pin on the left lamp bracket 39 and tightening the outer locknut 86 by grasping the stud members 87.

Should any of the socket assemblies 82 become faulty, it is a simplematter to replace them individually by disconnecting the proper leadwire, unscrewing the socket assembly, inserting a new one and connectingthe lead line. Inasmuch as each lamp is supported at one end by lampbracket 46 and at the other end by a grommet I9 in lamp holder 39, theother lamps need not be disturbed by this operation.

When it is desired to transport the machine, the tray I42 is emptied ofdeveloper by lowering the level of the flexible feed funnel I42, and thefront shock roll 29 is clamped into its lowermost position with thelower ends 69 of the hooks 57. If desired, the adjusting screws 154 maybe turned to separate the rolls I40 and 141 to prevent the formation offlats thereon. The machine is then completely enclosed by closing thetop cover 2| over the developing section B and the door 29 in front ofthe printing section A. In this condition, vertical and lateral motionof the glass cylinder is effectively prevented by means of shock rolls29 and 39 and by rolls 24 and 26. Longitudinal movement is prevented byside rollers 92 with the result that the possibility of breakage ofglass cylinder 22 due to shock in transport is reduced to a minimum.

It is to be understood that many alterations and modifications willsuggest themselves to those skilled in the art upon reading thisdescription. Thus, for example, it is not necessary that the lighttransmitting cylinder be mounted for rotation since it is possible toslide the transparencies and sheets of sensitized material around it.Furthermore, it is possible to replace the cylinder with a plane orcurved light transmitting surface over which the sheet materials can beslid. It is also within the contemplation of the invention to modify thelamp supporting structure to accommodate elongated lamps havingelectrical terminals at only one end thereof. All such alterations andmodifications are intended to be included within the scope of theinvention as defined in the following claim.

I claim:

In an apparatus for exposing light sensitive sheet material to lightwherein a transparent cylinder is supported between two end. walls, oneadjacent each end of the cylinder, one end wall haw-- ing a circularopening coaxial with. and substantially equal in diameter to thediameter of the cylinder and the other end wall supporting a fixed shaftcoaxial with and terminating beyond the 8 circular opening in the firstnamed end wall, the improvement which comprises an assembly forsupporting a cluster of elongated lamps within the cylinder forindividual and collective removal and replacement, said assemblycomprising a central hollow shaft receivable and. slidable on said fixedshaft, a first disk on one end of said hollow shaft and having adiameter no greater than the inside diameter of the cylinder, a seconddisk adjacent the other end of the hollow shaft, the pe riphery of saidsecond disk being adapted to seat in the circular opening of the firstend wall, oppositely disposed perforations in the first and second disksfor receiving said elongated lamps end wise, and means engageable withthe terminal portion of the fixed shaft releasably to lock the assemblyin operative position within the cylinder.

JOSEPH HRUBY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,744,323 Mayer Jan. 21, 19301,916,108 Hall June 27, 1933 1,937,138 Barclay Nov. 28, 1933 1,960,621Duplessis May 29, 1934 2,056,584 Murck Oct. 6, 1936 2,297,573 MacDonaldet al. Sept. 29, 1942 2,299,787 Beal Oct. 27, 1942 2,323,172 WhittakerJune 29, 1943 2,349,097 Kennelly May 16, 1944 2,348,930 Schepmoes May16, 1944 2,352,804 Schepmoes July 4, 1944 2,386,856 Houston Oct. 16,1945 2,395,970 Kershaw Mar. 5, 1946 2,431,520 Streich Nov. 25, 19472,443,510 McCallum June 15, 1948

